Increasing seawater intrusion into the intricate system of rivers and streams in the Mekong Delta is affecting freshwater supplies and threatening its hugely productive rice and sugarcane fields and fruit and vegetable gardens.

Up to 14 coal fired-power plants are set to be built in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta as part of Vietnam’s Power Development Plan (PDP). Nguyen Thi Ha looks at how the coal plants already operating in the delta area are affecting the health, salt and fish farms, and local livelihoods of thousands of communities living in the delta.

Thuan Nguyen is a 15-year student from Can Tho, Vietnam who is passionate about the Mekong Delta and environmental issues. He voices concerns about the planned Mekong mainstream dams and wants young people to work together to raise awareness about the value of the Mekong Delta.

Floating rice production in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta is a unique traditional agriculture system with livelihood, health and environmental benefits. Once extensive, but displaced by high-yielding variety rice, this article discusses initiatives to recover floating rice production and its associated local knowledge.

Vam Nao village in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam used to be known for its abundant fisheries. The construction of a large irrigation system ten years ago allowed villagers to plant 3 crops of rice per year. However, the results of villager-lead local knowledge research revealed that the scheme has seriously impacted the fisheries.

Commons Comment

The Dawei Special Economic Zone (SEZ) project in Myanmar will establish large-scale industrial estates for export-led industrialization. Japan has recently expressed interest in investing in the Dawei SEZ. Japan’s economy has been built on this model of industrial development. This development model has caused enormous environmental and health impacts.

Minari Tsuchikawa questions whether it is appropriate for Japan to impose this type of “development” model on Myanmar rather than allow the people of Myanmar to find their own path of sustainable development.